Rivermatics

2 USGS Streamgages · Mississippi River system

West Nishnabotna River flows and levels

West Nishnabotna River is gauged at 2 USGS streamgages in Iowa, each tracked by Rivermatics. It feeds the Nishnabotna River. It drains into the Mississippi River system. Drainage area at the gauges ranges from 609 square miles at West Nishnabotna River at Hancock, IA up to 1,326 at West Nishnabotna River at Randolph, IA. The gauged reach falls about 152 feet, from 1,115 feet down to 963. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned 14-day flow outlook for every one of them.

Gauges on this river, upstream to downstream

Ordered by drainage area, which is how far down the river each gauge sits. April and July figures are long-term median daily flows for that month from the USGS record — historical normals, not a forecast and not today's reading.

USGS streamgages on this river, ordered upstream to downstream
Gauge State Drainage sq mi Elevation ft April p50 cfs July p50 cfs Forecast
West Nishnabotna River at Hancock, IA IA 609 1,115 270.1 307.2 14-day
West Nishnabotna River at Randolph, IA IA 1,326 963 579.1 657.8 14-day

Typical flow by month at West Nishnabotna River at Randolph, IA

The furthest-downstream gauge on this river, so the fullest flow it carries here. Long-term daily discharge percentiles from the USGS record (up to 78 years of data), averaged within each month. These describe the historical normal range — they are not a forecast and not today's reading.

Historical monthly discharge percentiles in cubic feet per second
Month Low p10 Typical p50 High p90 Range
January 66.7 213.8 782.2
February 92.6 326.5 1,250.6
March 144.1 546.4 2,131.9
April 137.5 579.1 1,772.3
May 154.3 804.3 2,640.6
June 176.6 924 3,075.7
July 144.8 657.8 1,913.5
August 106.9 390.9 1,284.8
September 95.2 317 1,286
October 87.1 280.7 1,383.9
November 102.2 269.1 1,095.6
December 85.3 233 881.1

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does the West Nishnabotna River run highest?
June, on the long-term record at West Nishnabotna River at Randolph, IA — the furthest-downstream gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river. Median daily flow there is about 924 cfs that month, against 213.8 cfs in January, the lowest. Upstream gauges peak on their own schedule; the table on this page gives April and July for each.
How many gauges are on the West Nishnabotna River?
Rivermatics tracks 2 USGS streamgages on the West Nishnabotna River, across Iowa. Each has its own page with the site's full flow record and monthly normals. The river may carry other gauges that publish neither daily values nor discharge statistics; those are not tracked here.
Is there a flow forecast for the West Nishnabotna River?
Yes, at 2 of the 2 gauges. Rivermatics trains a machine-learned model — a temporal-fusion transformer — on each basin's observed flows, weather and snowpack, and issues a daily outlook reaching 14 days ahead: a median estimate inside a confidence band, not a single number to bet on. Every forecast is scored against days the model never trained on, and that track record is published on each gauge's live screen.
What river system is the West Nishnabotna River part of?
The West Nishnabotna River drains into the Mississippi River system — it is a tributary somewhere in that chain, following the flowpath down to its terminal river. Rivermatics builds this from the USGS/geoconnex reference-mainstem network rather than from names.
Can I use West Nishnabotna River data for flood or safety decisions?
No. Rivermatics provides estimates, not guarantees, and the readings and forecasts here may be delayed, inaccurate, or wrong. Do not use them for navigation or for any safety, rescue, or emergency decision. Check the National Weather Service and USGS directly, and use your own judgment.

Other rivers in the Mississippi River system

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